Surviving the Psych Ward with Postpartum Psychosis, Some Suggestions for Getting Back on Your Feet

After sedation and deep slumber, I awoke in the psych ward, and here’s what I learned about how to survive the experience postpartum:

Learning the ropes

Every psych unit has its own daily rhythms and rules. Learn the rules of the unit you’re on, like how to earn privileges, if any, and be mindful of the rhythms of the ward.

Promoting a rapid return to feminine hygiene postpartum

I advise changing your feminine hygiene products frequently to prevent the staff from calling your heavy vestigial bleeding after the birth “malodorous.”  (I know, TMI.)

Stopping lactation

In the heartbreaking absence of my baby to stimulate milk production, I stopped lactating, but not without creating a slightly sour dried-up milk smell, which also offended the staff’s delicate sensibilities.

Staying active, indoors and out

If there is an opportunity to go outdoors while on the unit, I usually make it my business to try to take advantage of this, even in inclement weather because doing so often leads to a fresh perspective.

Indoors, I like to participate in group meetings and activities, taking notes on things I learn. Although my ability to read on the psych ward may be compromised, I prefer to keep busy with creative activities like art and writing instead of watching television all day. 

The psych ward is a good place to keep a personal journal or a mood journal.  Ask a family member to bring you a journal-like calendar for daily writing as well as a photograph of your baby so you never lose sight of who’s most important.

Cultivating external and internal relationships

I stay in touch with external supports, especially family and friends who’ve known me all my life. Doing so adds stability and grounds me in the deeper roots of my life.

Making new friends with other like-minded patients, I try to stay engaged and curious about others and remember the thought that, as my mother used to say, “nobody has a monopoly on suffering.” It can be tough, as I am an introvert.

Continuing involvement in my treatment

Asking questions of my treatment team, I strive to understand my diagnosis, my meds, and their side effects.

Recreating a semblance of normalcy

Establish easy routines for acting normal, even if you don’t feel completely normal yet.

The Takeaway

Returning to normal is your ticket to freedom, so “fake it until you make it,” as they say. In the psych ward, appearances are everything.